2 hours ago, Taoboi said:

Leaving March finally so getting to start on this past week's episodes...and I think I'll still say what I said before. I continue to feel the writers are doing what they did this time last year before the anniversary party. They took their B plots and just started to develop them in the lead-up to the anniversary party. I feel that's what they are doing this time as the lead-up to the cotillion. The real difference was that last year the stories were just...BETTER. Also we were getting to know the characters so we learned right along with them.

I see what Dramatist Dreamer and I were discussing yesterday. No wonder she was irritated. I was just as annoyed watching Monday's episode and seeing...

1) Ty and Jess are back on the outs and Jessica is back to being anti-cotillion after it seem Anita finally broke through to her. Off-screen.

2) Sam vs Francisca is now off-screen right along with her.

I know they are stalling the cotillion, but if they are going to give detailed dialogue about it, I would rather they SHOW the development of Jessica's shift. And I would love to see more Sam vs Francisca. Or more of the cotillion practice. There were other bits of dialogue that talked about off-screen things in other stories, too, but out of the new stories, the cotillion storyline was the one I was getting invested in so this just irked me.

Since the cotillion storyline was the stronger of the new B plots, that just left...the plasma ring storyline. Hot as Jacob is...I'm over it. After some growing developments, it already has become repetitive. I do continue to like how the story is growing developments that I feel will pan out in the future. Greyson vs Jacob. Naomi's growing worry and her continued storyline of hiding the fact she has the gene. The Greyson/Ashley relationship. How the storyline will impact the Hawthornes now that Mama Hawthornes has arrived. Otherwise...it's a meh storyline.

Not a meh storyline for me...the continued antics of Kristen Dimera...I mean Hayley. It was slow going, but the twist of Hayley and Lynette potential setting up Tomas was a stroke of genius for me. As was adding Kat into the mix with her Veronica Mars self. I know Tomas told her to stay out of it, but her face in her last scene tells me she's going to be like her fictional namesake and need to figure it out to save her man. Also...I loved Lynette vs Kat. But I love Lynette anyway as she continues to shape up into quite the soap villainess.

@Taoboi As you can attest and have heard from me non-stop LOL , I truly think had MVJ and co convinced Guza to extend his contract and remain as co-head-writer.. the pacing would be like it was the first months on the show where there was a lot of action and staggering of stories.

I also think the show only getting 1 year pick-ups plus the huge lead time in written scripts (at least 5 months) & filming (at least 4 months) are probably putting the writers in a bit of a bind because they're only getting a 1 year pick up so it's probably easy at the start of the season to map out the pacing of the stories.. but then they start to stall some of the stories because they don't know if they're getting a pick up or not. I truly think that's why the Winterfest ended up being lackluster (I'm giving them grace on Easter).

To me, I would have had this Cotillion in March where we could have seen some of the traditions, the catty bickering, some spring fashions, and perhaps Anita would have taken a turn for the worse.. which could have led to those powerful hospital scenes with Anita and family.

As that is going on, I would have moved the clinic opening to April/May sweeps while starting to show some of the impact of The Impaler story going on (maybe Vernon pulls a string or two to get some of the plasma and/or other items for Anita, which puts him and the Duprees on the radar of the Impaler). Also, play up June's connection a bit more to the Impaler story since I have a feeling this story is serving to take from poor/unhoused in order to help the wealthy... and Vernon, without meaning to, just continues that process since the Duprees are old money. It would remind me of Riley Sager's 'Lock Every Door' book and plotline. The book didn't have a lot of locations other then the apartment building and few other places.. and it's considered one of the best stories that Mr Sager has penned.

So many interesting perspectives, and as stated, made out of genuine interest and goodwill for the show.

I was surprised/disappointed that more location stuff around the studio hasn't been utilized. I would have thought it was easy/cost effective to do. The opening weeks saw characters outside and that has just stopped unfortunately.

There was Facebook post of the Martin/Smitty clan walking together down the 'street' at the studio and I thought that would turn up, but no.

And the set issue is a problem, along with the set dressing in some instances.

Joey's casino set just needs to be properly furnished ,for example, to be immediately improved.

And please have Shanice and Ashley discussing the patients-they only need a scene lead in where they do a patient review eg Rm 312 Mr Stanley needs to up his medication to 40 grams of whatever, Mrs Singh in 319 has had to have the surgery rescheduled blah, blah. stuff that sounds professional. Then launch into the Ted/Grayson discussion.

2 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

So many interesting perspectives, and as stated, made out of genuine interest and goodwill for the show.

I was surprised/disappointed that more location stuff around the studio hasn't been utilized. I would have thought it was easy/cost effective to do. The opening weeks saw characters outside and that has just stopped unfortunately.

There was Facebook post of the Martin/Smitty clan walking together down the 'street' at the studio and I thought that would turn up, but no.

And the set issue is a problem, along with the set dressing in some instances.

Joey's casino set just needs to be properly furnished ,for example, to be immediately improved.

And please have Shanice and Ashley discussing the patients-they only need a scene lead in where they do a patient review eg Rm 312 Mr Stanley needs to up his medication to 40 grams of whatever, Mrs Singh in 319 has had to have the surgery rescheduled blah, blah. stuff that sounds professional. Then launch into the Ted/Grayson discussion.

The best part is that everything you've mentioned can be done at little or even no cost. That's what frustrates me.

We get a new set and it's Joey's place. What??? With that ridiculous fireplace -- while looking like ANOTHER set furnished by Wayfair.

That casino backroom? Maybe I was seeing things, but I swear one day last week they just dimmed the lighting in there to make the set look better. It's complete 🗑️ 🗑️ 🗑️

6 hours ago, Chris B said:

With a country club being a main setting, it would be easy to create something and every other soap with a similar set up has had an outdoor/pool set.

7 hours ago, Taoboi said:

The pool set...which should be back in a couple of months...shows up every summer.

I'm glad y'all reminded me about the lack of a swimming pool. As for sets I was more focused on the lack of a set for the clinic and Naomi's law office.

26 minutes ago, melanatedbtgfan said:

I'm glad y'all reminded me about the lack of a swimming pool. As for sets I was more focused on the lack of a set for the clinic and Naomi's law office.

I feel like those two would be super easy and non-complicated sets to make which is why it's so shocking they don't exist.

A lot of the cost with sets involves labor union rules and redressing sets would require extra additional hours that might not be budget friendly. Labor often costs more than props and material.

2 hours ago, ReddFoxx said:

A lot of the cost with sets involves labor union rules and redressing sets would require extra additional hours that might not be budget friendly. Labor often costs more than props and material.

Good point. I read something along the lines if, say, a director or actor wanted to move a just cushion on a sofa it had to be done by the appropriate person.

There's a lot of of BTS scenes stuff we are not privy to, that may explain some of the things we see onscreen that don't always make sense.

3 hours ago, ReddFoxx said:

A lot of the cost with sets involves labor union rules and redressing sets would require extra additional hours that might not be budget friendly. Labor often costs more than props and material.

1 hour ago, Paul Raven said:

There's a lot of of BTS scenes stuff we are not privy to, that may explain some of the things we see onscreen that don't always make sense.

Well when you put it like that...

6 hours ago, ReddFoxx said:

A lot of the cost with sets involves labor union rules and redressing sets would require extra additional hours that might not be budget friendly. Labor often costs more than props and material.

GH has perfected it by shooting out of sequence based on what sets are available at any given time. That's how they are able to showcase so many sets without it being costly.